VH signal integration measure for seismic data

Abstract

A method and system of processing seismic data includes acquiring three-component seismic data and combining horizontal components of the three-component seismic data to obtain a merged horizontal component. Frequency spectra are determined for the acquired three-component seismic data. A ratio of a vertical component of the seismic data to the merged horizontal component is determined. A V/H integration-measure is obtained from the integration of the area bounded by a selected minimum-amplitude value and the amplitude values greater than the selected minimum-amplitude value and the V/H integration-measure is stored in a form for display.

1. A method of processing seismic data, comprising: a) acquiring three-component seismic data; b) combining horizontal components of the three-component seismic data to obtain a merged horizontal component; c) determining frequency spectra using a processing unit for the acquired three-component seismic data; d) determining a ratio of a vertical component of the seismic data to the merged horizontal component; e) determining an V/H integration-measure from the integration of the area bounded by a selected minimum-amplitude value and the amplitude values greater than the selected minimum-amplitude value; and f) storing the V/H integration-measure in a form for display. 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1  wherein combining horizontal components of the three-component seismic data to obtain a merged horizontal component further comprises determining the square root of the sum of one-half of the squared horizontal component values. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the selected minimum-amplitude value is 1. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the V/H integration-measure in a predetermined frequency range. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 4  wherein the predetermined frequency range is a range selected between 1 Hz and 6 Hz. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the seismic data is comprised of separate time intervals. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 1  further comprising applying a band pass filter to the data. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming a display of the V/H integration-measure. 
   
   
     9. A system for processing seismic data, comprising: a) means for acquiring three-component seismic data; b) means for combining horizontal components of the three-component seismic data to obtain a merged horizontal component; c) means for determining frequency spectra using a processing unit for the acquired three-component seismic data; d) means for determining a ratio of a vertical component of the seismic data to the merged horizontal component; e) means for determining an V/H integration-measure from the integration of the area bounded by a selected minimum-amplitude value and the amplitude values greater than the selected minimum-amplitude value; and f) means for storing the V/H integration-measure in a form for display. 
   
   
     10. The system of  claim 9  wherein means for combining horizontal components of the three-component seismic data to obtain a merged horizontal component further comprises means for determining the square root of the sum of one-half of the squared horizontal component values. 
   
   
     11. The system of  claim 9  wherein the selected minimum-amplitude value is 1. 
   
   
     12. The system of  claim 9  further comprising means for determining the V/H integration-measure in a predetermined frequency range. 
   
   
     13. The system of  claim 12  wherein the predetermined frequency range is a range selected between 1 Hz and 6 Hz. 
   
   
     14. The system of  claim 9  further comprising means for applying a band pass filter to the data. 
   
   
     15. The system of  claim 9  further comprising means for forming a display of the V/H integration-measure. 
   
   
     16. A set of computer program modules on a computer readable medium for execution on a processor in conjunction with an application program for determining an V/H integration-measure for displaying a hydrocarbon potential indicator determined from seismic data comprising: a first computer program module that receives data to determine a frequency spectrum for three component seismic data; a second computer program module that receives a selected minimum amplitude value; a third computer program module that receives a ratio of a vertical component of the seismic data to the merged horizontal component to obtain a V/H ratio; and a fourth computer program module that receives a V/H integration-measure from the integration of the V/H ratio for an area bounded by the selected minimum-amplitude value and the amplitude values greater than the selected minimum-amplitude value. 
   
   
     17. The set of computer program modules according to  claim 16  further comprising: a fifth computer program module that receives instruction data for applying a zero-phase frequency filter to the seismic data. 
   
   
     18. The set of computer program modules according to  claim 16  further comprising: a sixth computer program module that receives instruction data for determining the V/H integration measure within a predetermined frequency range. 
   
   
     19. The set of computer program modules according to  claim 18  wherein the predetermined frequency range is a range selected between 1 Hz and 6 Hz. 
   
   
     20. The set of computer program modules according to  claim 16  wherein the at least one program module is stored on a peer machine in a peer-to-peer network environment.